Hummingbird migration underway in the US: Here's when they'll reach your garden
Birds will soon be migrating to North America as temperatures rise and food become more readily available, including a popular fast-feathered bird.
Hummingbirds undertake a major journey every spring, but what’s the best way to welcome them to your yard?
Hummingbirds are on the move, and soon, these fast-feathered birds will be fluttering through gardens all across the eastern and central United States.
After spending the winter in Central and South America, ruby-throated hummingbirds are preparing to migrate northward across the United States. They typically arrive across the Gulf Coast by the start of March.
Hummingbirds have been spotted all across the Gulf Coast in recent weeks, and on Monday, March 22, one was spotted as far north as Millingport, North Carolina, just outside of Charlotte.
As warm weather spreads north, so too will the hummingbirds. By April, they are commonly seen from North Carolina and Virginia to Kansas and Oklahoma. By May, they are widespread across most of the central and eastern U.S.
How to prepare your garden for hummingbirds
Filling a nectar feeder with sugar water is commonplace for folks who are trying to attract hummingbirds, but that isn't the only source of nutrition they seek out.
"Hummingbirds actually need a variety of food types. Insects are another important source of food, especially during the nesting season. They consume spiders and many types of flying insects," Mississippi State University said on its website. "Because of this, it is very important not to use pesticides on plants when providing for the needs of hummingbirds."
A Ruby-throated hummingbird hovers at a feeder at the Pages' home in North Yarmouth. (Staff photo by Ben McCanna/Portland Press Herald via Getty Images)
Lily, fuchsia, honeysuckle and azaleas are a handful of plants that flower in the springtime that attract hummingbirds. They can also help to provide the birds with shelter and a place to nest.
"Most hummingbird flowers are tubular in arrangement or shape, scentless, brightly colored, and easy for hummingbirds to hover around," Mississippi State University said.
The more plants, the better when it comes to getting the attention of hummingbirds, and they can be just as helpful as bees because pollen stuck to their feathers can help to pollinate plants in bloom.
A ruby-throated hummingbird feeds from a salvia flower. (Mike Bons/Getty Images)
